No lead is protected from the Washington Capitals.
The Caps bounced again from a 4-2 deficit in opposition to the New York Islanders Friday, scoring twice within the third interval earlier than finishing the 5-4 win in time beyond regulation. The group’s never-say-die angle has shone all through the season, showcased by their 9 come-from-behind wins, which lead the NHL.
Dylan Strome, the group’s main scorer, sparked the comeback effort in opposition to New York, sniping residence his eighth objective of the season with the membership on an influence play. Connor McMichael grabbed an help on the objective, his second of three factors within the recreation, serving to give him his first-ever three-point outing.
“Just reveals that we’re a extremely good hockey group,” McMichael stated postgame. “There’s an previous saying that good groups at all times discover a technique to win, and I believe it simply proves that we’re a extremely good hockey group. We’ve obtained guys with excessive character that by no means quit on pucks, by no means quit on performs or video games. I believed we did a extremely good job.”
McMichael additionally factored in on the game-tying objective within the third interval, scored by Tom Wilson. Wilson potted two markers within the win, giving him 9 targets this season.
Washington’s goals-for proportion this yr when trailing is the most effective within the league (66.7%), virtually three complete proportion factors higher than the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning (63.9%). However, Wilson admits that in an ideal world, they wouldn’t want to come back again within the first place.
“It’s most likely not ideally suited,” Wilson stated. “Usually simpler to play with the lead on this league, however says rather a lot concerning the group that you could be down however by no means out of it. Don’t wish to make it a behavior, however while you do come collectively within the third like that, it’s at all times enjoyable.”
Head coach Spencer Carbery echoed the same sentiment in his postgame remarks.
“I have a look at it two methods,” Carbery stated. “I recognize the resiliency and the character of our group. I don’t like that we’re placing ourselves in these conditions, however we’ve got a variety of battle and a variety of character in that room that isn’t simply going to put down.
“So although second interval and even a bit little bit of the primary — first was fairly stable for essentially the most half, we have been just a bit bit off with our puck play, however the second interval dug ourselves a gap. So we may have let that decide the sport, and we didn’t, and that’s what you recognize concerning the group.”
After tying the sport with 12:36 remaining within the third interval, the Capitals rode out the remainder of regulation into time beyond regulation. Jakob Chychrun completed the job within the three-on-three additional body, carrying the puck up the ice and sniping previous Semyon Varlamov to earn his group two standings factors.
The objective was Chychrun’s seventh of the season, tying him for second amongst all NHL defensemen. He has two game-winning targets, tied for first amongst all rearguards.
“I believe we obtained such an incredible group on this room,” Chychrun stated after the win. “I believe it’s only a large credit score to the maturity in right here. I believe a variety of groups on this league have unhealthy video games, and I discover this group, when we’ve got a foul interval, we actually take a variety of delight in turning it across the subsequent interval. So, you don’t see many back-to-back durations the place we don’t have it. I believe we’ve got a variety of grit in right here, and we discover methods to beat some adversity when we have to, and it was one other nice effort tonight.”
Washington improved to 16-6-1 with the win. They are one level behind the New Jersey Devils for first place within the Metropolitan Division and have three video games in hand.
